


Win This War

by arisanite



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: AU, Alternate Canon, DameRey, F/M, Jedi Mind Tricks (Star Wars), Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22615987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arisanite/pseuds/arisanite
Summary: Accepting a mission that will take her away from everyone, Rey tries to say her goodbyes to everyone she held dear. There is only one person that she can't say "goodbye" to...
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Rey
Comments: 3
Kudos: 57





	Win This War

**Author's Note:**

> After reading reports about that initial "Duel of the Fates" script that had this huge amount of Damerey, I had to write this mini-fic.

“Where do you think you’re going?” the familiar voice echoed in the hangar just when Rey thought that she could make off with the nearest unoccupied x-wing.

She looked up from gathering her equipment – along with a “borrowed” resistance fighter helmet – to find a very upset looking Poe Dameron making a beeline towards her, ignoring the other pilots that had to get out of their way. “Poe–” she started.

“What’s his I hear that you’re going to search for the Son of Mortis–”

The color drained from the young Jedi’s face. “I can’t believe Finn would–”

The General scoffed at her. “It wasn’t Finn.” Poe said gravely, his voice deep with disappointment. A small beep sounded behind him and Rey turned to raise an eyebrow at the orange little ball that peeked from behind his master’s legs.

And she thought it was hard enough to say goodbye to BB8.

“BB8 you traitor,” she said in a playful tone, despite seemingly intending to scold the droid. BB8 hooted a sad whistle in reply.

“Of course he’d tell me–” Poe said playfully at first. “Beebee always had a sense of loyalty towards me… Unlike some…”

Those brown eyes turned to hurtfully glare at her, catching her off guard.

“Some… Lovely people…” The last few words came out like an exhaled breath, soft yet painful. Poe cast his eyes down, unable to look at the girl.

Rey actually felt sorry for him, after _everything_. “Poe–” she started, biting her lip.

The look on Poe’s face spelled something of a betrayal. “You’d say goodbye to Finn and BB8, but not to me?” His voice almost broke. “It feels as if you don’t want to see me ever again, Rey…”

Something seemed to flutter and die within the girl. “That’s not what I–”

The resistance pilot exasperatedly and anxiously ran a hand through his curly black hair. All the confidence, bravado, and poise from when he initially addressed the attack team hours ago melted into this anxious and panicked persona – a very worried looking soul that felt left out of a very important conversation.

“And I thought,” Poe huffed in exasperation, looking confused. “I thought– we had–”

Rey closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Somehow she expected this. She knew, Poe of all people, would not be happy with this hasty decision.

Hesitant at first, she placed a hand on his shoulder. The General raised his eyes and slowly looked at the hand lying on his shoulder, before slowly turning to look at Rey.

“I’ll be fine.” To her, it was a promised whisper.

Poe clenched his jaw and shook his head. “ _I_ won’t be,” he whispered back. To the young Jedi’s surprise, the man suddenly took her hand lying gently on her shoulder.

“Let me come with you,” he whispered, brown eyes gazing at her with a desperate plea as he held her palm in both of his hands. “You don’t have to do this alone, Rey.”

Rey shook her head, eyes starting to water. “No,” she can barely say the words. “I can’t let you.”

A small spark of hope seemed to have emanated in Poe’s eyes upon seeing those tears forming in hers. “I know you can.”

She tore her eyes away from him now. “It's too dangerous–”

Poe took a deep breath. “You will be fine as long as you have us. Look, I know Finn wouldn’t dare to leave you alone as well! Just put that helmet down and let’s regroup and–”

Rey bit her lip. She just couldn’t let her friends sacrifice themselves when the vengeful Son of Mortis wanted her and not them. She didn’t have a choice…

Poe had to stop his blabbering when he felt a warm hand on his cheek. He felt his insides burn with something so warm and full when he found the Jedi looking straight into his eyes, a painful smile etched on her face.

Then his mind went blank.

“ _You don’t need to come with me, Poe Dameron_ ,” Rey said with a clear and firm voice.

Those brown eyes stared right back at her, pupils dilating.

“I don’t need to go with you, Rey,” the voice that escaped the Resistance General sounded flat, and monotonous.

BB8 suddenly beeped a questioning whistle that Rey had to ignore.

Rey nodded, tears now falling down her face. “ _Stay with the Resistance. Leia, Rose and Finn need you more with this operation,”_ Rey continued, voice breaking as she continued using her newly mastered tricks at the man whom she has started to treat more than just a comrade.

“I will stay with the Resistance,” Poe whispered, unblinking, as he echoed Rey’s words. “Leia needs me here.”

Rey took a deep breath as she said one last line through the power of the force.

“ _You will survive this war_ ,” a sob snuck through her words, albeit properly and clearly delivered through the force. “ _You will live and tell my story.”_

Poe’s body felt slack and relaxed under Rey’s force control. All the tension that filled his expression earlier has disappeared.

“We will win this war,” his voice echoed monotonously through the hangar. “And I will live to tell your story.”

Tears were now streaming down Rey’s face as she removed the hand that framed his cheek. Tucking the helmet underneath her arm, she took a deep breath amidst all those tears as she stepped back and smiled at the man she always perceived as difficult.

She waved a hand in front of his face, a final command.

“ _Goodbye Poe Dameron._ ”

The words tasted bitter inside her mouth.

The man just stared at her, still seemingly under a trance. Rey did not wait for an echoed answer, as she turned around to make her way towards the x-wing before the General snapped out of his trance.

To her surprise, the response never came.

“You do know that Jedi mind tricks don’t really work on me, my _little sand nymph_ ,” came those words from behind her.

Rey’s eyes widened upon hearing that ridiculous pet name he had been calling her the whole time after she rescued what’s left of the Resistance on Crait.

Suddenly feeling a hand on her shoulder, Rey turned around only to crash straight into a pair of warm, soft lips.

Poe desperately held onto the girl’s back as he pulled her against him, tears stinging his eyes as he finally gave in to whatever he was feeling for that amazing girl who changed all their lives after arriving from Jakku.

Rey finally reciprocated as she placed a hand against Poe’s cheek.

BB8 backed away from the scene, a whistle sounding like amazement echoing from his tiny metal body.

Releasing her lips, Poe’s next words sounded like a prayer. “Promise that you come back to me alive,” he whispered.

Without opening her eyes, it was Rey’s turn to echo his words. “ _I promise_ _to return to you alive_.”

Poe pressed his forehead against hers. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

Rey nodded. “I know.”


End file.
